WIU spring scholars announced

Thursday

May 8, 2014 at 8:00 PM

WIU University Relations

Six students — two from Macomb — participating in Western Illinois University's 2014 Spring Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies this weekend have received the highest recognition from their colleges for their overall academic excellence by being named a College Scholar.

Another top honoree was named the speaker for the Academic Honors Convocation.

The 2 p.m. Friday, May 9, Academic Honors Convocation in Western Hall will honor College, Departmental and Honors scholars and graduates who have earned academic distinction throughout their Western Illinois University career. Students receive a medallion for each honor, which they wear at Commencement ceremonies.

Faculty in each of Western Illinois University's four academic colleges; the School of Distance Learning, International Studies, and Outreach; and the Centennial Honors College select a graduating senior as the college's outstanding student. Students graduating as College Scholars have satisfied the criteria of excellence established by their individual academic college's faculty members. A Departmental Scholar is an outstanding degree candidate in an academic major as determined by the faculty in the major department. An Honors Scholar is a student in the Centennial Honors College who has completed a set of honors requirements and has achieved a grade point average of at least 3.4 on a 4.0 scale.

About 10 percent of graduating seniors achieve academic distinction, which is designed as Summa Cum Laude, highest academic distinction, with a minimum grade point average of 3.90; Magna Cum Laude, high academic distinction, with a GPA of 3.75-3.89; and Cum Laude, academic distinction, with a GPA between 3.60-3.74.

Convocation Speaker

Samantha Elizabeth Morrow, from Rushville, a history major, will deliver her speech, "Lollipop Moments." During her time at Western, Morrow served as the chair of the College of Arts and Sciences Student Council, secretary of the student organization Western Against Slavery, treasurer of the Golden Key International Honor Society; a peer mentor and the Mu Phi Epsilon historian. She is the trumpet section leader for the Marching Leathernecks. Morrow served as a volunteer for the Rushville-Industry High School Marching Band Camp, has played trumpet for the Rushville Community Band since 2006 and volunteered as an assistant coach for YMCA Youth Soccer.

College of Arts and Sciences Scholar

John Daniel Johnson, from Macomb, graduates with a bachelor's degree in political science and history, with the highest academic distinction, Summa Cum Laude. He is also the Political Science Departmental Scholar, History Departmental Scholar and an Honors Scholar. He is a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, participated in the Associated Students of History student group, served as the treasurer of the WIU Disc Golf Club, and was a founding member and the 2012-13 vice president of the WIU Rotaract Service Club. He also volunteers as a member of Student Judicial Services. In 2013, Johnson won third place, podium presentation, in the Centennial Honors College's annual Thomas E. Helm Undergraduate Research Day event. He plans to pursue his master's degree in political science with an emphasis in comparative politics.

College of Business and Technology Scholar

Caleb Markey, from Macomb, graduates with a bachelor's degree in finance and accountancy with the highest academic distinction, Summa Cum Laude. He is also the Finance Departmental Scholar and an Honors Scholar. Markey is the Student Government Association president and was formerly a voting member of the Council of Student Activity Funds. He is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, Beta Alpha Psi and Campus Students for Christ. He has served as a small-group leader for Youth for Christ, and in the summer of 2013, he completed an internship, focusing on international finance, with Deere and Company. Markey plans to pursue a career in public service.

College of Education and Human Services Scholar

Alexandria Hamm, from Macomb, graduates with a bachelor's degree in special education, with the highest academic distinction, Summa Cum Laude. She is also the Special Education Departmental Scholar. Hamm has been active in Western's Student Education Association for four years, serving as the president in 2012-13. She currently serves on the Illinois Education Association Student Program in the executive board position "political activist." In 2011, at the College of Education and Human Services' annual Tech Fest event, Hamm presented a behavior-management program designed specifically for a student with autism, for which she won an Educational Technology Award. She also served as a First Year Experience peer mentor, volunteered as a telecounselor for the WIU Admissions Office and served as a conversation partner volunteer for WIU's Center of International Studies. Upon her graduation, she hopes to obtain a special education teaching position and has future plans to pursue her master's degree in education.

College of Fine Arts and Communication Scholar

Christopher Ryan Lovingood, from Peoria, graduates with a bachelor's degree in broadcasting with academic distinction, Cum Laude. He is also the Broadcasting Departmental Scholar. During his time at Western, Lovingood served as a reporter and anchor for the student-produced news broadcast, News3, and he worked as a reporter for Tri States Public Radio in Macomb. In March 2014, he garnered two grand prize awards from the National Broadcasting Society in its 51st annual National Undergraduate Student Electronic Media Competition for the audio feature segment, "Balloon Rally in Macomb," and for his part of the video newscast covering the aftermath of the Nov. 17, 2013, Washington tornado. In April 2014, he won first place in the radio use of sound category in the Students in Illinois News Broadcasters Association annual competition. He plans to pursue a career in marketing/communications and media.

Centennial Honors College Scholar

Shiloh Lueschow, from Elmwood, graduates with a bachelor's degree in biology and psychology with high academic distinction, Magna Cum Laude. She is also an Honors Scholar. During her time at Western, she co-authored an article that appeared in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, and she has presented her research twice at the national Mycological Society of America. She also presented at Western's biology and undergraduate research symposia and won second place for her undergraduate poster presentations at the Biology Research Symposium. She serves as a Centennial Honors College peer mentor, volunteered for various service projects through Phi Eta Sigma and volunteered at a local retirement facility. Lueschow is also the assistant leader for the Elmwood All-Stars 4-H group, worked as the assistant sheep superintendent for the Heart of Illinois Fair and serves as a teacher's assistant for the virology class in WIU's biological sciences department.

School of Distance Learning, International Studies, and Outreach Scholar

Jennifer Marie Anderson, from Galesburg, graduates with a bachelor's degree in general studies. She is a member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, the national honor society for adult students in higher education. Currently, she is employed as a personal assistant for individuals who need assistance in their homes. She has also worked part-time for Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois, as well as at the Galesburg Learning Center. She served in an internship at an independent insurance agency, and she is now licensed in Illinois to sell property and casualty insurance. Recently, she also served as volunteer laborer for Habitat for Humanity.

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